Clearing mechanism for calculating-machines.



F. H. BIGKFORD. CLEARING MECHANISM FOR CALCULATING MACHINES.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 19, 1913.

Patented Feb. 10, 1914.

2 sums-sum 1.

P. H. BIOKPORD.

CLEARING MECHANISM FOR CALCULATING MACHINES. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 19, 1913.

1,086,580. Patented Feb. 10, 1914,

Z SHEE'lS-QHEET 2.

1, l I i J I ,UNITED STATES PAEENT OFFICE.

FRANK H. IBICKFORD, F KINGSTON, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE ADDER MACHINE COMPANY, OF WILKES-BARRE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

GIZIEABIN' G MECHANISM FOR CALCULATING-MACHINES.

f To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK H. BICKFORD, a citizen of the Unit-ed States, residing at Kingston, Luzerne county, Pennsylvania,

have invented new and useful Improve- .ments in. Clearing Mechanism for Galculating machine, the-counters turn independently of each other on an axle suspended above a corresponding series of adding racks. Lowering the axle engages the counters with the adding racks either to accumulate amounts on, or 'to clear, the counters.

- lVhen' accumulating amounts on the counters, the adding racks advance prior to the engagement of the counterstherewith, the amount being accumulated on thc counters as the racks restore to home position, after which the counters are disengaged from the racks; In clearing the counters, the counters engage the racks prior to the advance of the latter, and are disengaged therefrom be- .fore the racks start to return.

Oneobject of the present invention is to shift the axleand its counters uniformly in disengaging the counters from the racks in a clearing operation, to avoid strains and torsion on the axle, and eliminate much of the'time heretofore required to adjust the mechanism.

Another object of this invention is to so apply and operate the counter-shifting mechanism that it will not interfere with the attachment of a motor drive to the machine. f To these-ends, the invention comprises certain novel" features and constructions such as will be more fully set forth hereinafter-and particularly pointed out in the -"clai ms.'

' In the accompanying-drawings, Figure 1 is a side view-of-the invention applied the-well-known "Wales calculating machine,

parts being omitted; Fig.2 is a side view of invention itself and cooperating mecha- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 19, 1913.

Patented Feb. 10, 1 914..

Serial NO. 774,624.

nism, the clearing key being depressed and parts being shown in the positions assumed when the main drive shaft is at a certain point in its forward stroke. The cam lever is partly broken away to show the cam in operation, and Fig. 35 is a detail side view of the inner face of the cam lever.

Reference 15 also made to United States 'Patent to McFarland, #812,232, January arms 7 pivoted at 8 to the respective side frames. Props 9 connected to the respective arms 7 at opposite sides of the machine, rest on a trip rod 10. Hangers 11 journaled on a rock shaft 12 support the trip rod, and links 13 connect the trip rod with arms 14 on the main drive shaft 15, to swing said rod forwardly and backwardly. The rod and its hangers constitute a swinging frame.

\ Turning the main drive shaft 15 first permits those racks into whose paths stops have been interposed, to advance until arrested by the stops. The mechanism whereby this is accomplished is well known, and need not be here set forth. Further forward travel of the main drive shaft causes the swing ing frame 10, 11 to lower the counters 5 to mesh the teeth of pinions 16 thereon, with the racks 4. Legs 17 depend from opposite ends of the axle 6 to rest on seats 18 on the side frames 1 and delay the engagement of the counters and racks until the latter have operated, whereupon the trip rod draws bridle links 14 endwise (Fig. 2) to trip the legs from their seats. The main drive shaft, on its return stroke, effects the restoration of the racks which, as they retire, turn the counters to accumulate" thereon an amount determined by the depressed keys. -Mean- While, the swinging frame 10, 11 has been idly returning to normal position. but/after the accumulation has taken place on the .n'. a): am

counters, the frame lifts the props 9 to dis-- nect arms 23 of the respective set levers 20, 21 with the legs 17 to displace said legsrelatively to their seats" 18 when the key 19 is depressed. If new the main drive shaft 15 is turned forwardly, it will first lower the trip rod 10 to mesh the pinions 16 with the racks 4t and afterward permit the racks to advance and turn the counters back to zero, in the manner common to the Wales calculating machine.

The arms 23 of the set levers 20, 21 carry studs 24 which, when the levers rock to displace the legs 17, shift out of the paths ,qf

shoulders 25 on thrust bars 26 connected at .27 to arms 28 of disengaging levers 28, 29 pivoted at 30 to the respective side frames 1. Arms 29 of said disengaging levers contact pins 31 on legs 17, but normally are spaced apart therefrom sufficiently to permit the legs to drop when tripped by the trip rod 10 in the accumulating operation. Springs 32 snap the thrust bars 26 against the studs 24 as soon as the bars are released by the displacement of posts 33 onprops 9 which normally support the thrust bars in idle position, to locate the shoulders 25 opposite said studs. The main drive shaft on its return stroke, brings a cam 34 (Fig 2) on a plate 35 at the left of the machine, against a roll 36 on the set lever 20 to rock the set lever toward its normal osition, and force the stud 24 against its tirust bar 26 which in turn, rocks its disengaging lever 28, 29 to contact arm 29 thereof with the pin 31 on the left hand leg 17 to lift the latter and thereby disengage the counters from their racks, prior to the retirement of the racks, and while the counters remain in zero position. The cam 34, in restoring set lever 20 to normal position, turns the shaft 12 and rocks the right hand set lever 21 to press its stud 24: against the corresponding thrust bar 26, and through right hand lever 28, 29, lift the right hand end of the axle 6 to disengage the series of counters at that end from the racks.

The foregoing is old and only constitutes, 1 a part of the present invention in so far as it is combined with the novel features now to be disclosed.

Owing to the weight of the counters and the torsion of the shaft 12, a special adjustcams 34:, 39 ride over the rolls.

ment and arrangement of the levers and linkages on the right hand jside of the machine wag necessary to effect the simultane ous disengagement of the counters and racks at both ends of the axle. To avoid the loss of time incidental to making such adjustments; render the levers and linkages for the respective right and left sides of the machine interchangeable, and to reduce the torsional stress and strain on the clearing mechanism, I provide means at the right hand side of the machine to cooperatewith the cam lift on the left hand side in disengaging the counters and racks when clearing the machine. It is obvious that a cam plate and cam similar to those on the left side might .be fixed to theright hand end of the drive shaft 15 to lift the set lever 21, but such device would occupy space which is required for other parts in an electrically driven machine. Wherefore, I pivot a cam lever 37 at 38 on the right side frame 1, one arm of said cam lever carrying a cam 39 to contact a roll leO'on the right side set lever 21. A link 41 connects the remaining arm of the cam lever with the trip rod 10 of the swinging frame 10, 11,to oscillate cam lever 37 when the main drive shaft is turned. Ordinarily, the rolls 36 and 49 lie above the cams 34, 39 which oscillate at each operation of the machine. Depressing the clearing key 19 rocks the set levers 20, 21 as above set forth, and lowers the rolls 36, 4:0 thereon, so that upon turning the main drive shaft 15, As the main drive shaft approaches the end of its stroke, the cams release the rolls whereupon springs 42 lift the set levers and bring the rolls into the paths of the cams. The main shaft on its return stroke, forces the cams 34, 39 against the rolls to lift the latter and their set levers, and through the linkages and disengaging levers, effect the disconnection of the counters and racks, the counter-supporting axle 6 being lifted uniformly and evenly at its opposite ends by the action of said cams. It will be observed that by attaching the link 41 to that arm of the cam lever 37 opposite the cam 39,

the latter is rocked in a reverse direction to the cam 34: and cam plate 35.

Changes may be made in the form and arrangement.of the several parts set forth without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.

What I claim as new, is

1. In a calculating machine, the combination with a shiftab e axle, and a series of c'bunters thereon; said axle and counters being shiftahle as a unit; of mechanism to shift the axle and counters in one direction, including levers at opposite sides of the machine; separate linkages connected to thelevers to shift said axle and counters; and means at opposite sides of the machine arranged for synchronous operation to rock the levers and raise the opposite ends of the axle uniforml 2. In a calculating machine, the combinaton with a shiftable axle; and a series of counters thereon; of mechanism to shift the axle and counters, including linkages to shift the axle evenly in one direction; levers to operate the respective linkages; and cams on opposite sides of the machine to rock the levers.

' traveling in opposite directions to rock the levers synchronously.

4. In a calculating machine, the combination with a shiftable axle; a series of counters thereon; and mechanism to shift the axle and counters, including linkages at opposite ends of the axle; and levers to operate the respective linkages; of means synchronously driven in opposite directions to rock the levers.

5. In a calculating machine, the combination with a shiftable axle; a series of counters thereon; and mechanism to shift the axle and counters including linkages at opposite ends of the axle; counter-shifting levers to operate the respective linkages; a main drive shaft, and a cam pperated thereby to rock one of said levers; of a swinging frame driven from the main shaft; and a cam lever connected with said swinging frame and carrying a cam to rock the remaining counter-shifting lever.

Signed this 10th day of June, 1913.

FRANK H. BICKFORD.

In the presence of- E. M. DETRICK, RALPH S. WARFIELD.

copies of thin patent may be obtained for flveceiits each, by addressing the Commissioner of Intent,

Wellington, 1). G." 

